Take Me Instead
by AvatarTwilightObsession
Summary: Her baby...he couldn't, she wouldn't let him. "Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!" If James could die to protect their son, so could she. My take on how Lily Potter dies to save Harry's life - read if you so wish. Enjoy :


**Ok, so I've been getting much more into Harry Potter recently, especially the James and Lily couple...I found I rather liked them :) So I wanted to write this...I always thought the death of Harry's parents was particularly awful, especially since I now really love Lily and James...sooo yeah. **

**Just my first little dabble in this couple :) I'll probably take this down and try to re-write it later when I get more emotionally attached to these characters ;)**

**Going to try to publish more from now on! I know I'm a fail, but FMN is really not going so well atm, so I might be off that for a little while. For those of you who don't know, Forget Me Not is another story I'm doing which is using Twilight characters - nothing to do with the actual story, of course, but I do love me some Edward Cullen :D So if you want to go read that, I've got a substantial amount done, but it's nowhere near finished. Oops ;)**

**Anyway. Onwards!**

**Disclaimer - the wonderful, magical JK Rowling owns characters :D**

**Read on, my brave warriors!

* * *

**

James was dead.

That was one of the few panicked thoughts that flitted through Lily mind as she raced breathlessly up the stairs, clutching her laughing son in her arms, no idea what she was doing or where she could go. She had no time to grieve or even think about her husband as she flung herself into Harry's bedroom, running to the cot and dropping him in it – where was her wand?

She didn't know...but it wasn't as if it mattered. It seemed mere seconds before Voldemort stepped through the door, wand in hand, and she knew that one way or another she was not leaving this room alive.

"Not Harry," she shook her head at once, knowing why he had come. He tilted his head, gazing almost thoughtfully at her – she threw her arms out to shield him, determined, adrenalin making her strong, "Not Harry, please not Harry!"

"Stand aside, you silly girl," his voice was soft and terrifying, making her heart pound and her body shiver, "Stand aside now."

"Not Harry, please no!" His wand was rising now, the end tipped with crackling green sparks, as it if knew what was going to happen and relished each second – Lily shook her head frantically, pressing closer back against the crib where Harry was gurgling happily. "Take me!" she cried in desperation, knowing what was coming – she could see Harry's little, smiling face, and she couldn't bear the thought of him dead, "Kill me instead!"

"This is my last warning-"

"Not Harry!" She had to beg, it was the only way, "Please...have mercy...have mercy!" Voldemort was drifting closer, and she shook her head again desperately, pleading with him, "Not Harry! Not Harry! Please- I'll do anything-"

Her baby...he couldn't, she wouldn't let him.

"Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!"

If James could die to protect their son, so could she.

Lily shook her head again, standing her ground, and the red snake eyes narrowed. She knew her time was up – perhaps he would have given her mercy, let her stand aside...he hadn't wanted to kill her.

No matter. She was going to die now, wandless, with her heart racing and her body trembling, facing down the most terrifying dark wizard of them all. It must have been the adrenalin, or maybe just the fear for Harry, that made her unafraid, unable to think of anything other than protecting him – let her die, she didn't matter, James was gone, James was gone...

Lily closed her eyes, gripping the bars of the cot with shaking fingers, determined not to be afraid. She felt Harry's little hand grab onto the back of her shirt, tugging at her, demanding for her attention...she smiled a little, happy that he didn't know what was going to happen: what had already happened.

He was just a baby, after all. He would be alright.

"James", she whispered in her mind – maybe she would see him, wherever she was going now. She could picture him in her head, drawing strength from his smile, pretended that he was there with her, standing tall beside her.

"Avada Kedavra!"

So this was it.

Time seemed to slow - Lily took her last breath, and a tear slid down her cheek as she thought of James and how he was dead, and Harry and how he would be alone...she could see their faces, could feel how much she loved them, that love filling her so she wasn't so frightened anymore.

Harry would live. Harry would _live_.

Then a flash of green light, her own shriek of agony as the curse hit her in the chest, pain blossoming out on all sides...she was dying, she was dying, and Harry cried out, probably scared by her screaming.

"Harry...I love you...James..."

Then Lily Potter fell, crumpling like a doll to the floor, green eyes bleak and empty and her red hair spread out haphazardly across the carpet. She was unmoving; her cheeks were still damp, skin still warm...but she was gone.

Voldemort stepped carelessly over her, and Harry began to cry.


End file.
